Caeleb Dresseland some of the other superstar male athletes of USA Swimming wanted to help their female teammates excel at a very different kind of challenge.
Dressel, 24, said that Team USA’s men spent time during the run-up to the Summer Olympics teaching the women of the squad how to play poker.
Answering a question from PEOPLE about the team’s camaraderie during a press conference in Tokyo on Sunday, Dressel said, “This was one of my highlights and this just goes to showcase the uniqueness of USA swimming.”
Camp was USA Swimming’s 17-day training sessions, held in Hawaii earlier in July.
That extended period of time, together, Michael Andrew told PEOPLE, was nice — especially as he comes from a background where he swims alone.
“It’s an honor, one, to represent the U.S. but to come together with such a strong group of guys and women, it’s been incredible — camp was amazing in Hawaii, our time in the performance center was incredible and here at the village … we’re supporting each other through each individual and also in these relays, it’s been an amazing, amazing time,” Andrew, 22, continued.
Dressel said that the transformation into Team USA doesn’t happen “at the end of the meet when you’re getting medals and setting world records.”
“You become Team USA when you’re teaching some of the girls to play poker or you’re getting food someplace in Hawaii together,” Dressel elaborated, adding, “It’s the stupid little moments, it’s not the big moments that are caught on cameras, it’s the stuff you guys don’t see. And that’s what makes this team so unique.”
Caeleb Dressel, Ryan Murphy, Michael Andrew and Zach Apple.FRANCOIS-XAVIER MARIT/AFP via Getty Images
To learn more about Team USA, visitTeamUSA.org. Watch the Tokyo Olympics now on NBC.
source: people.com
